Cleaning, and feeding of metal strips to rolls or rolling mills



.May 28, 1935. F. G. RATCLIFF 2,003,054

bLEANl-NG AND FEEDING 0F METAL STRIPS T0 ROLLS 0R ROLLING MILLS Filed June 1, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 28, 1935. F. G. RATCLIFF 2,003,054

CLEANING AND FEEDING OF METAL STRIPS TO ROLLS OR ROLLING MILLS Filed June 1, 1935 2 SheetS- -Sheet 2 5mm GMEQ fife/392, 62 C, 4. 641m W Patented May 28, 1935 T UNITED sTATEs CLEANING, AND FEEDING OF METAL STRIPS TO ROLLS R ROLLING Francis Gerald Ratclifl, Birmingham, England Application June 1, 1933, Serial No. 673,902 In Great Britain June 18, 1932 1 Claim. (CL 8043) which not only effects the cleaning of the strip but also forms a device to feed the same to the rolls of rolling mills.

According to the present improvements, the

appliance comprises a press or cleaner through which the strip is drawn to eifectthe cleaning process, which press or cleaner is movable so that the strip whilst gripped by the press or cleaner can be moved forward to feed the strip between the rolls whilst the rolls are rotating; The strip is thus cleaned at the commencement of the feed and therefore a considerable length of the strip is not allowed to pass between the rolls before the cleaning press is brought into action. Further the strip is fed between the rollers without any liability of damage to the operator, whilst at the same time the feeding operation is considerably I simplified.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an appliance constructed according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a. sectional elevation of a modified form of the invention.

According to one form of the invention, the cleaner comprises a. press the bottom jaw or bed I of which is mounted on a carrier frame, or bracket 2 so that it is capable of movement towards or from the guide 3 mounted in front oi. the rolls. The upper pressure jaw or member 4 is slidably mounted on two "vertical pillars 5 carried by the bed of the-press, the pillars being connected across the top by a suitable stay member 6. The movable pressure jaw or plate is pressed downwardly by means of spiral springs I mounted on the pillars 5, the pressure of which can be adjusted by means of abutment collars 8 having screwed engagement with the pillars 5.

A quick-action device is provided for raising or lowering the upper pressure jaw or member 4 and this conveniently comprises a pair of toggle links 8 and Ill on each side of the press. The toggle links are pivoted respectively to the bed 2 of the press and the upper jaw or member 4 and also to a member ll carried by an eccentric strap l2. The eccentric strap for each pair of toggle links is mounted on an eccentric I! carried by a transversely arranged shaft It to which a hand lever I5 is fixed. When the hand lever is raised the eccentric I3 is rotated and eflects the movement of a spindle. on which the inner ends of the toggle links are mounted, to one side, thereby enabling the upper pressure member to move down on the lower pressure member. when the said handle I5 is depressed the upper pressure member 4 is raised to open the jaws. bracket IS on which the cleaner press is movably mounted carries a guide roller IT for the metal strip, and the upper pressure member is provided with curled or curved lugs I8 on each side to form hooks, for receiving rods H! which secure canvas or other cleaning material to the pressure member. s

The bracket I6 on which the bed 2 of the press is mountedhas projecting side edges 20, and slide bars 2| fixed by studs to the sides of the 15 bed of the press engage under such projecting edges, to slidably mount the press on the bracket.

The bed 2 of the press is provided with a toothed i rack 22 which is arranged longitudinally and centrally on the underside, and a toothed wheel 23, mounted on a spindle 24 carried by the said bracket is in engagement with the rack. A handle 25 is fixed on this spindle so that when it is raised or lowered the press is moved in a direction towards or from the rolls 26. Buifer springsv 25v 21 may be mounted on the bracket against which the front of the bed of the press bears when the rolling mill is in action.

According to a modified form of the invention as shown by Figure 3, the bed 2a of the press is provided with a projecting portion 28 which forms a guide for the-metal strip, the bed 2a of the press being slidably mounted on the frame 29 of the machine.

The guide in Figuresl and 2 and in Figure 3 comprises a table having dove-tail slots 30, 3|, in which bolts are slidably mounted for adjustably fixing lateral guides 33 for the strip of metal. The wood block 34 under which the metal strip passes is fixed to the table by bolts, the

head of which engage in the slots 30.

With this construction'therefore the strip of metal is first placed in the press with aportion projecting forwardly from the jaws. The lever 25 is then operated for moving the press forward to feed the said projecting end of the strip betwen the rolls. The rolls drawing the strip particularly when the rolls are revolving at a The" 5 The strip will high speed. ,The form of the press maybe considerably modified according to the pressure required. Any suitable form of spring pressure may be utilized or in lieu of springs hydraulic or any other form of pressure may be applied.

I claim: I I

-A device for cleaning and feeding metal strips to the rolls of rolling mills, comprising a cleaning press, a carrier frame member, a bracket forming the bed of the press mounted to run in guides on said frame to be movable towards and away from the rolls, means for moving the bracket in the guides forfeeding a metal strip gripped by the press to the rotating rolls, a movof the said portion of the bracket which extends 10 forwardly of the press.

FRANCIS GERALD RATCLIFF. 

